Black Forest Fire Over 15,000 Acres, 360 Homes Lost

Three hundred and sixty homes have been lost to the Black Forest Fire, north of Colorado Springs. One of several fires burning in Colorado, it has burnt more than fifteen thousand acres. Luckily, no injuries or fatalities have been reported due to the fire.

It is being called the most destructive fire in state history, due to it's having burnt the most homes.

Almost a thousand fire fighters are battling the blaze, including members of the Colorado National Guard and Air Force Academy. They are being aided by air tankers and helicopters. A federal Type 1 Command Team took command, Thursday morning, and more resources from other states are on the way.

Thursday saw a large increase in humidity, which aided firefighting efforts, but also saw an increase in winds. Winds also switched direction causing an increase in the evacuation areas.

Nearly forty thousand homes have been ordered evacuated, including parts of Colorado Springs, and many more are on standby.

The mandatory evacuation area stretches from North Gate and Old North Gate Road, in the north; Voyager Parkway, on the west; Flying Horse Club Drive to include homes south of Flying Horse Club Drive on Barossa Valley Road and Veneto Wary/Vine Cliff Heights/Equinox Drive/Serenity Peak Drive, to the south; and Highway 83, at the east.

Various roads around that area have been closed, to ensure no one gets in the way of emergency personnel. That includes a partial closure of a stretch of  Interstate 25, from Interquest to Baptist.

Several other areas are on voluntary evacuation status. Members of the Colorado National Guard are assisting police in ensuring that no looting occurs in the evacuated areas.

Air quality advisories have spread all along the front range. Burn bans are going into effect in many areas, because of the fires.

Homes Destroyed in Westminster Explosion

Two homes were destroyed when a natural gas explosion occurred in Westminster, Colorado.

Another two homes were severely damaged, while nine more received minor damage.

Two people were injured in the explosion, and three people are missing.

For a time the surrounding area was evacuated, but officials allowed people back into the undamaged homes once the danger was considered to be over.

Authorities are investigating the explosion, but all signs point to natural gas.

1 Killed, 73 Injured in Louisiana Plant Explosion

One person was killed and seventy-three people required medical treatment after a chemical plant explosion.

Four of the injured were evacuated by helicopter, due to the severity of their conditions.

The plant, located north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, exploded Thursday morning.

Nearly six hundred people were inside it when the blast occurred.

Residents in a two mile radius, of the plant, were asked to evacuate or warned to keep everything in their homes closed up, as the smoke might be harmful.

Fire fighters were able to put out the blaze.

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the explosion.

Supreme Court Rules Only Synthetic DNA Can be Patented

Thursday saw the Supreme Court rule that only synthetic DNA can be patented.

The case before them argued that no DNA could be patented.

They decided that DNA, which had been extracted from humans, could not be.

Allowing for the patenting of synthetic DNA will help biotech companies in the research abilities.

It also makes it more of a competitive field, as companies will rush to create their own DNA so that they can patent it and protect their creations.

3 Killed in Buenos Aires Train Crash

Three people were killed and one hundred and fifty-five injured in a train crash in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Several of the injured are in critical and serious condition, requiring surgery if they are to survive.

Thursday morning's crash occurred when a commuter train ran into an empty train, that was standing still.

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the crash, but have noted that the train had brand new brakes.

Syrian Civil War Death Toll Hits 100,000

According to the latest UN figures more than one hundred thousand people have been killed in the Syrian Civil War.

Around nine thousand of the those deaths have been people under the age of eighteen, including nearly two thousand under twelve.

The twenty-seven month long conflict shows no signs of abating.

As time progress the war is spreading to nearby countries, especially Lebanon and Iraq.

It also has been blamed for acts of violence in Israel and Turkey.

The spreading is mostly due to the sectarian nature of the conflict, with it's divisions between Sunni and Shiite Muslims.

Russia has also been involved as they have continue to sell weapons to the regime.

European nations are beginning to become involved as they are now deciding how to send arms to the various groups of the opposition.

Giving aid to the rebel forces is a risky business, as many of them are linked to terrorist groups like Al Qaeda.

US Army: Staff Sergeant Jesse L. Thomas Jr.

Staff Sergeant Jesse L. Thomas Jr., thirty-one of Pensacola, Florida, died on June 10.

He was killed in Hemland, Afghanistan.

His death is under investigation.

Thomas was assigned to the 39th Transportation Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command out of Kleber Kaserne, Germany.

Facebook Adding Hashtags

On Wednesday, Facebook announced that they will begin using hashtags.

Facebook being the only major social media site that doesn't utilize them, finally bowed to reality.

Hashtags were originally created by Twitter as an easier way to search for a topic.

According to Facebook, about twenty percent of their users already use hashtags, despite their not doing anything.

However, the rollout began Wednesday, and over the next few weeks all of the site's users will be able to utilize them.

Some note that this is the first time anyone has looked forward to a Facebook update.

Fire Fighters Flown Into Fight Big Meadows Fire

Multiple fires are burning throughout Colorado.

Southwest of Fort Collins the Big Meadows Fire has burned about five hundred acres, after being started by lightning on Monday.

Contained with the Rocky Mountain National Park, the fire is not threatening any buildings.

Concerns are high about the fire, as it is approaching areas of dead trees.

If the fire gets to those areas, it's growth could explode making it an extremely dangerous fire.

Due to the ruggedness of the terrain, firefighters were flown in to the area where they are hoping to stop the fire's progress and let it burn itself out.

Focus is on the north end of the fire, as to the south is Grand Lake, which would act as a natural fire break.

They are being aided in their fight by helicopters.

Five mountain trails have been closed, because of the fire. They are: Grand Lake Lodge Spur Trail, Green Mountain Trail, Lower Tonahutu Trail, Onahu Trail, and Tonahutu Spur Trail.

Royal Gorge Fire Burns 4000 Acres and 20 Buildings

Multiple fires are burning throughout Colorado.

Four thousand acres and twenty buildings have been lost to the Royal Gorge Fire, near Canon City.

The fire is burning along the Arkansas River, in the area around the Royal Gorge Brige.

Authorities say that while the fire was burning on both sides of the bridge, that it appears to be undamaged.

Most of the buildings lost were restaurants which feed the tourists who come to see the bridge and gorge.

Twelve people have been hospitalized due to breathing issues, due to the smoke, in the area.

During Wednesday, fire fighters, aided by planes and helicopters, were able to gain twenty percent containment on the blaze.

Mandatory evacuations are in effect for the Royal Bridge Park north to Highway 50 and from the west side of Canon City to Parkdale Bridge.

The evacuation also includes the closure of the Arkansas River from Canon City to Spike Buck.

Eight hundred and eighty-one prisoners were evacuated from the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility, as a precaution.

Officials felt that they should get a jump on the move, as it takes a long time to move inmates, instead of having to rush should it became necessary.

It is unknown what caused the fire to start.